Julius Caesar Review
English 10
March 28, 2014
Source:
Mabillard, Amanda. Julius Caesar Study Questions.
Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000.
< http://www.shakespeareonline.com/plays/juliuscaesar/juliuscaesarstudyq.htm>.
ACT I
1) Why are the tribunes Flavius and
Marullus so upset at the opening of
the play?
The tribunes are angry that the working class
citizens of Rome gather to celebrate Caesar’s
victory, while forgetting Pompey, the Roman hero
(and a part of the First Triumvirate that ruled
Rome) who was killed in battle alongside Caesar.
Their hostility toward Caesar serves to introduce
the deep political divide that will become the
central issue of the play.
2) What holiday are the Roman
masses celebrating at the time of
Caesar's return?
Caesar's triumph coincides with the feast of
Lupercal, which was celebrated on February
15th. The festivities were in honor of
Lupercus, the god of nature (Pan in Greek
mythology).
3) Describe Caesar's encounter
with the soothsayer.
As Caesar passes through the crowd the soothsayer cries out to
him, warning him to "beware the ides of March." Caesar
dismisses the soothsayer as a dreamer and continues on.
Caesar’s encounter with the soothsayer foreshadows his
assassination in the senate in 3.1. Note that in the ancient
Roman calendar the "ides" was the fifteenth day of March, May,
July, and October, and the thirteenth day of the other months.
Gaius Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC.
4) What is most significant about the
meeting between Cassius and
Brutus in Act I, scene ii?
Cassius presents his best argument to convince
Brutus, his close friend and brother-in-law, to
conspire with him to assassinate Caesar.
Brutus reveals he has concerns about the state
of the Republic, but will not commit outright
to join with Cassius.
5) How does Cassius trick Brutus
into joining the conspirators?
Cassius fabricates a petition, pretending it is
from the angry citizens demanding Caesar's
removal, and he throws it in Brutus's
window. The welfare of Rome drives Brutus,
and Cassius knows Brutus will give the
people what they desire.
ACT II
1) How does Portia prove she is
worthy to hear the plans of her
husband, Brutus?
We didn’t talk about this in class, so
you might want to look at ACT II,
scene one, line 296.
Portia cuts herself in the thigh and suffers the
pain of both the wound and the infection it
causes in silence. Her show of bravery and selfcontrol convinces Brutus she is "stronger than
her sex" (2.1.296) and he agrees to confide in
her, only to be interrupted before he has a
chance.
2) After an ominous dream,
Calpurnia begs Caesar to stay away
from the senate and, at first, he
agrees. What changes his mind?
Decius, a conspirator whose role it is to guarantee
Caesar is in the Capitol that day, favorably interprets
Calpurnia's dream and then chides Caesar for
yielding to his wife's whims. Decius adds that the
senate is planning again to offer Caesar a crown,
and Caesar gives in to vanity. He leaves Calpurnia
and accompanies Decius to the Capitol.
ACT III
1) What is the significance of
Caesar's dying words, "Et tu, Brute?
Then fall, Caesar!"?
The conspirators gather around Caesar and he sees his trusted
friend Brutus among them. Stunned that Brutus is among his
assassins, Caesar cries out, "and you too, Brutus?" This famous
line is important because it sets Brutus apart from the other
conspirators. There is no doubt that Brutus's self-serving and
ambitious accomplices have committed an indefensible act, but
with Caesar's final utterance we recognize that the selfsacrificing and noble Brutus has perpetrated the same heinous
crime – his motivation is rendered immaterial. For this moment,
Brutus the idealist becomes Brutus the murderer.
2) Why is Antony afraid after
Caesar’s death?
He believes the conspirators may want to
kill him also, but Brutus has talked them out
of doing harm to anyone other than Caesar.
3) Who speaks first to explain why
Caesar was killed and WHY does he
say they killed him?
Brutus addresses the Plebeians, successfully
assuring them that Caesar's murder was
necessary to preserve their freedoms.
Brutus loved Caesar, but says he was too
ambitious, and that he slew him for his
ambition.
4) Who turns the people
of Rome against Brutus
and HOW does he do it?
After Brutus addresses the Plebeians, successfully
assuring them that Caesar's murder was necessary to
preserve their freedoms (3.2.13-37), Antony delivers his
cleverly crafted speech in defense of Caesar. While
making sure not to condemn Brutus and the
conspirators, he argues that Caesar had no plan to turn
Rome into a dictatorship. He reminds the crowd that
Caesar was offered a "kingly crown" (3.2.102) three
times and refused each time.
ACT IV
1) Why is Cassius angry with
Brutus?
In Act 4 Scene 3, Cassius brings a specific
grievance to Brutus: Lucius Pella, a
character who does not appear in the play,
was censured (punished) for taking bribes.
Cassius wrote in the man's defense but
Brutus ignored it.
2) Why is Brutus angry with
Cassius?
Cassius was not being a good friend to
Brutus. Cassius did not give Brutus money,
although it turned out it was Cassius'
bankers fault. And Cassius had not been
around to comfort Brutus who had to deal
with the loss of his wife.
3) Describe the encounter between
Brutus and Caesar's ghost.
Cassius retires for the evening and Brutus calls
two of his servants, Claudio and Varro, to stay
with him through the night. The boys quickly
fall asleep and Brutus starts to read. With the
flicker of the candle Brutus's eyes are
distracted upward, to see the ghost of Caesar
standing beside him. The ghost tells Brutus
that they will meet again at Philippi and
vanishes.
ACT V
1) Cassius asks Brutus what he plans
to do if they should lose the battle.
What is Brutus's response?
Brutus says that, since he finds the act of
suicide cowardly and vile (5.1.104), he will
have little choice but to be patient and yield to
whatever fate dictates (5.1.106-08). He adds
that he will never return to Rome as a prisoner.
That Brutus nevertheless dies by his own hand
at the end of the play adds to his tragedy.
2) How does Cassius die?
Cassius knows that he too will soon be
captured by Antony and Octavius, and will
certainly be dragged through the streets of
Rome in chains. He orders Pindarus to hold
his sword while he impales his chest on the
blade.
3) Explain the significance of
Antony's final speech, beginning
with the line, "This was the noblest
Roman of them all" (5.5.68).
Antony's speech serves to restore Brutus to
the position of tragic hero. Antony can see in
Brutus the morality he does not himself
possess - the capability to act selflessly for the
common good. Brutus's pride and political
naivety have led to his destruction, but his
ideals are etched into the memory of his
enemies